


A Bunch of Short Pieces and Character Explorations

by Pikachunicorn



Category: New X-Men: Academy X, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Depression, Existential Angst, Existentialism, Gen, M/M, Weird Shit, biokinesis is weird, character exploration, pet shop, puppy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 12:38:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3937093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikachunicorn/pseuds/Pikachunicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is basically just a place for me to dump all the short works, requests and character explorations I do. I'll add tags with each piece. So far:</p><p>1: Exploring Elixir: Sleep Studies - No Warnings<br/>2: Angsty Mistake (Josh/Julian kinda) - Severe Depression<br/>3: Buying a Puppy (Josh/Julian) - Mentions of Sex Addiction</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Exploring Elixir: Sleep Studies

_Sleep_.

Something not such a necessity when one is biokinetic. He doesn't need to sleep. His body will eradicate the symptoms of exhaustion, if he wishes it to.

But he does sleep.

Because rest is crucial for any normal human - homo sapien, or homo superior. And being normal would be pleasant. Being normal would mean he would be okay. He wouldn't have loved and thus, wouldn't have _lost_. He wouldn't be broken. He wouldn't be _weak_.

Even as he sleeps he can feel them. Every body within a three mile or so radius. His powers have progressed. He is limitless. There's a woman two buildings away with HIV, a man on the next street with pancreatic cancer. The couple three floors below him are having sex. He can't hear it. He can _feel_ it. Their muscles tensing, their harsh breathing, their racing hearts. It's fascinating. Even as he sleeps, his mind filters and stores this information. Running through it. Downloading it. Using it later.

He doesn't realize how powerful he is. He doesn't see that - subconsciously - he can do so much. When he rests, he will never know, but his appearance changes. His eyes alter colour. As does his hair. His skin. His subconscious is practicing for when his conscious mind understands what it takes to do this to a person.

He manipulates his own genetics, down to the X-Gene. Gaining mutations as he sleeps. He has previously woken on his metal bed frame, his sheets and mattress disintegrated around him. It was Kevin Ford's mutation that was forced into his DNA by his own biokinesis for a few moments whilst he rested. He hadn't understood. He still will not for a good few years. Not until he understands his powers wholly.

He wakes suddenly, memories of the other students, painfully tormenting his mind. His heart races as images race through his head of _Laura, Cessily, Santo, Nori, David, Vic, Ruth, Megan, Julian_... He's sweating and on the brink of a panic attack, but his mutation soon fixes this.

He gasps and blinks a few times, his eyes shifting colour with each flutter. They do this each time he wakes. He doesn't notice.

Taking a few unnecessary deep breaths, he relaxed back onto the pillow, closing his eyes once again.

Normality is all he craves.

 _Sleep_.


	2. 2: ANGST BECAUSE ANGST

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Severe Depression
> 
> I wrote this for the start of an anon prompt about Josh and Julian getting a puppy, but thought it was a little too angsty so ditched it...

"Josh?" Julian's tone is low and cautious, as he gently places a metal hand on the lump in the duvet that is apparently his boyfriend. When there's no response, he looks up at Noriko and rolls his lips nervously.

It's been four days. Four days of Josh not speaking, barely moving. He arrived at the school a week ago, telling Nori that he just needed his family and that he hit a bad point with his depression. And by his family, he didn't me the bigots that shared his surname back in Queens. He meant the New X-Men.

Of course, the Jean Grey School took him in, no questions asked. And at first, everything was fine. He was socializing normally and appeared almost happy at some points. But then he started skipping meals, telling Nori he'd rather spend his afternoons alone, that he had some stuff to figure out. And now he was like this. Not leaving his bed. Staring at the wall, occasionally sighing, but offering no other communication.

"Please, Josh." Nori pleaded in a soft whisper, squatting beside the bed to look into her best friend's expression and comb the hair from his eyes. "Talk to us... Please."

Josh simply blinked twice, before rolling over in the bed, facing away from both of them.

"Come on, Josh." Nori's voice wavers, and Julian is a little taken aback. She never gets emotional. But Josh is one of the most important people on earth to her, and seeing him like this breaks her heart. "Just let us know you're okay..."

"Well, obviously he's not okay, Ashida! He's _depressed_!" Julian snaps before he can stop himself. He doesn't mean to. But when Josh is like this, it gets to everyone. Elixir always fixes everyone when they need him, and they're more than aware of the fact they can't fix _him_ in return.

"I know, Julian! But what am I supposed to say?!" Nori yells up at him, surprising him once again, standing suddenly. "I've tried everything else! I've spent four days trying everything else! I've spent four days getting every _fucking_ student at this school to come talk to him to try and make him better and it's not worked! Nothing's ever working, Julian! _Nothing_!"

"Well, he's your best friend! Try harder!" Julian hisses, pushing up from the bed and forcing a hand through his hair.

"He's your _boyfriend_! _You_ try harder!"

"We didn't talk about this stuff!"

"What _'stuff'_ , Julian?!"

"Feelings!" Ironically, the word is full of his own emotion and he shakes his head. "We never talked about feelings! About serious stuff! Technically, he's not even my boyfriend! We just sleep together sometimes!"

Nori stares at him in silent disbelief. " _You_... You're such an insensitive asshole, Hellion." Her voice is barely audible and Julian knows she's trying not to cry. He feels bad. He's just too stubborn to admit that... He's too stubborn to admit a lot of things... So instead, he heads for the door. But her gauntlet on his abdomen stops him beside her.

"You're so oblivious." She hisses, her voice low enough that she knows Josh won't be able to her (if he's bothering to listen). "The boy lying in that bed is in love with you. _Madly_. And I know you care about him too. So drop the hard man act and make an effort to fix your boyfriend, Keller. Or I swear I will hold this against you for as long as I live."


	3. Puppies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaand this is how the prompt actually turned out...

“Stress release..?” Josh mumbles with a smirk, nuzzling Julian’s bare neck. “But that’s what _you’re_ for…”

“Josh, I’m being serious.” Julian huffs, pushing up to sit up against the headboard of the bed. The duvet falls to his hips, which Josh immediately takes advantage of by kissing at his abs. “You need a healthier way to deal with this than sex.”

“Are you actually complaining?!” Josh laughs, eyes flicking up to meet his boyfriend’s as his lips move over Julian’s pale skin, tracing the jut of his hipbones. “I thought you appreciated my methods of levelling myself…”

“I do! I’m _definitely_ not complaining!” Julian answers quickly, terrified Josh may get the wrong idea and actually consider not sleeping with him. “But I’m going away more with the X-Men more now and, y’know, I won’t be around to like… Make you feel better.”

“I have yoga for that.” Josh shrugs, actually sitting up and paying attention now. “Y’know, my chakras are almost perfectly balanced now. I’m doing good, Jules!”

“I know, ‘Lix. I know you are, and I’m proud of that.” Julian promises like he understands anything about chakras (he doesn’t, despite Josh’s insistence that he learn) and kisses Josh sweetly (causing the latter to pout in irritation, as he was expecting a kiss far less innocent). “But it’ll be good for you to have to someone to keep you company when I’m away. Someone to vent to.”

“Julian, it’s a dog, not a psychiatrist.” Josh states, rolling his eyes a little. “And no. I don’t need it. You’re _not_ buying me a dog. You’re _not_ taking me to a pet store. And we’re _not_ continuing this discussion.”

—–

“Oh my god! Look at her little face!” Josh basically squeals, hugging a significantly dejected-looking pug puppy to his chest. Julian managed to drag him to the pet store in Salem Centre… Though now, he wishes he hadn’t…

“No.” The telekinetic states firmly, carting a gauntlet through his hair. “No pugs.”

“But, Jules…” Josh pouts and pushes the puppy into Julian’s face, obviously not understanding the concept of ‘personal space’ in this situation.

“Not happening. Put it down.” Julian orders, causing Josh to roll his eyes and carefully put the puppy back in it’s cage, smiling kindly at the pet shop assistant who has been helping them look at the dogs - whilst also giving Josh odd looks - since they arrived.

“Fine then, Mr no-fun, what do _you_ suggest we get?” Josh huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. _He really wanted the pug, dammit._

“Well, I was looking at this guy…” Julian crosses the store over to a large pen of six German shepherd puppies and, wrapping one arm around Josh’s waist, gestures at a particularly active pup.

“Oh my gosh - he’s jumping! Oh my _god_! He’s so cute!” Josh squeaks, immediately hooking the puppy from the pen. “You’re perfect for cuddles, aren’t you? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”

“For someone who, _under no circumstances_ , wanted a dog, you seem to be enjoying yourself.” Julian smirks smugly, both proud to prove Josh wrong, and happy to see his boyfriend excited and smiling.

“Because puppies, Julian!” Josh gasps, snuggling the ball of fluff in his arms and leaning it towards Julian. “ _Puppies_!”

“So, you’d be okay with this guy looking after you when I’m away?” Julian whispers, kissing behind Josh’s ear. 

“Oh no!” Josh moans, holding the puppy out in front of him and looking into it’s adorable expression. “He’s a boy… I forgot… We can’t have boys.” He explains sadly to the assistant who still hovers nearby. “Can’t handle the whole ‘ _always wanting to mate thing_ ’. And I don’t think I could get the poor thing neutered. I’d feel like a hypocrite.”

The assistant widens her eyes and blushes a bit at this comment, whilst Julian just laughs.

“Hey, if you like him, I’m sure we can handle it.” He promises sweetly, stroking his boyfriend’s hair.

Josh looks at the _too-adorable-for-its-own-good_ puppy again and sighs sadly. “Plus, he’ll grow up to be really big. Logan’s being nice letting you have a dog at the school at all. Maybe we should stick to something little…”

He reluctantly places the puppy back in its pen (only after pressing a kiss between its ears), and turns back to face Julian sadly. Julian is about to say something when he notices Josh’s brows furrowing in curiosity, his head tilted slightly.

“What?” Julian asks, raising an eyebrow and following Josh’s eye-line to a stack of cages of Pomeranian puppies behind him.

Josh doesn’t answer, instead, just walking past his boyfriend over to the cages and squatting down to look into one of the cages on the bottom row.

“A rescue puppy.” The assistant explains to Julian. “A couple had literally just got her when the husband got some high-class job in Beverly Hills or something. She had been awkward to train initially and they didn’t want to go through the hassle of getting her used to a new home. So they took her to the vets to get her put down.”

“That’s terrible…” Julian mumbles, fixated on how carefully Josh removes the tiny, black puppy from the cage, bringing her over slowly.

“Jules… She’s perfect…” Josh whispers, eyes locked on the small fluff in his arms, as the puppy nuzzled her head against his chest.

“Pure black poms are pretty rare. So she’s quite pricey. I hope that doesn’t-“

“She seems worth it.” Julian cuts off the assistant’s words, watching as the puppy paws at Josh’s skin and follows the slowly moving black splodges.

“She reminds me of you…” Josh breathes, slowly kissing the puppy’s head over and over. Julian steps up to Josh, draping his arms over the golden boy’s shoulders and looking down at the pup. Josh glances up at Julian, connecting their eyes and smiles genuinely.

Julian simply leans in, kisses him and whispers, “She’s yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Anonymous inquired:  
> for the fic requests, what about julian taking josh to buy a dog for emotional support?"


End file.
